Dive into new experiences while in college

All summer long, the Wolf Pack has been working super hard preparing to welcome 17,000 undergraduate students.

Welcome Week is one of the best times at school because there are countless events, lots of free food and experiences that you will never forget. It is absolutely crucial to join a club or on-campus organization in order to obtain the full college experience.

To returning Nevada students: you’ve already been through the overwhelming first week of college, so coming back to school is a breeze. Just because you’ve seen everything already, does not mean you can’t enjoy Welcome Week. All of the events planned during the first few weeks of school are not just for freshmen. The whole Pack should be enjoying the start of a new semester together. It is never too late to get involved!

To incoming freshmen: DO NOT BE OVERWHELMED. Welcome Week is here to help you get into the swing of college, ease your nerves and of course, impress you a little. Everyone here at Nevada is so excited to welcome you all into our family.

The college experience isn’t just about attending classes and getting good grades. College is the time for you to explore your passions and try new things. I know that it can be hard to step out of your comfort zone, but there are thousands of young men and women who are trying to find themselves, just like you.

The best ways that you can get involved on campus: attend events and join a club.

ATTEND EVENTS

Every school year, there are over 1,000 events on campus. There are so many different kinds of events that are happening every single day. This is the easiest way to meet others in a fun environment.

You will always see free food around campus.

Here at Nevada, we love barbeques. Get in line, mingle and get some food!

Keeping students entertained is also a must. Many speakers visit our school, like Laverne Cox from “Orange is the New Black” and comedian Jimmy Tatro.

By now you’ve probably heard about our Welcome Week concert in the Quad on Saturday, Aug. 29.

Waka Flocka, Sage The Gemini and Skizzy Mars? How cool is it that performers come to our campus and perform for our student body? Go to these events! Nothing is more fun than being at a concert on campus, looking around and seeing your peers having just as much fun as you are. On Monday, the whole school is buzzing about how awesome their weekend together was.

JOIN A CLUB

There are over 250 clubs and organizations at our university that were created by other students. It is amazing to see such a variety of interests on campus. You can learn about all clubs and organizations by attending the Friday Fest Club Fair on Friday, Aug. 28, at 4 p.m. in the Quad. If you’ve ever seen the movie “Pitch Perfect,” it’s like that, but 100 times bigger and better.

You might think juggling schoolwork and a club sounds difficult to do, but it’s up to you how involved you want to be. Everyone at Nevada understands that we are students before anything else. If you have to miss a club meeting to study, no one is going to be upset. Do not let fear of a busy workload be your excuse to not get involved. If you join a club and decide that you do not have time, you can always take a break.

Let’s say you attend Friday Fest and you do not see a club that fits your interests… you can start your own club! All you need to do is find 10 people who want to join, find a club advisor and work with the Associated Students of the University of Nevada club commissioners to make your club possible. Did you know we have Nerf Club? Disney’s Creative Development Club? The possibilities are endless.

Getting involved is so exciting and simple. First and foremost, get good grades. Second, attend events and join a club. This campus is full of people who want to see you succeed. Make the most out of your college experience and take the time to get to know people who share the same interests as you. Take the time to get to know people who have completely different interests that you could learn from. By finding something that you love here at Nevada, you will never want to leave.

If you want to get the most possible out of college, you without a doubt, have to join a club or organization. When you become involved, you find that feeling of community.

When we say we are “One Community. One Pack” we mean it.

Jessica Salsman studies political science. She can be reached at alexandraschultz@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @jessikitttty.